MP: 7 jumbos die in 2 days; probe ordered

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Three more elephants have died in the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) in Madhya Pradesh's Umaria district, taking the toll to seven, while the condition of three other tuskers was serious, a forest official said on Wednesday.

Madhya Pradesh's Forest Minister Ramniwas Rawat has ordered a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the death of the tuskers and asked officials to ensure strict action against culprits.

BTR's deputy director Prakash Kumar Verma said prime facie, the elephants seemed to have died after consuming Kodo millet, but the exact cause will be known after the autopsy. Four elephants were found dead in the BTR on Tuesday while four others, were found ill during routine patrolling, officials earlier said.

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